What happened
On August 17, 2002, at approximately 12:30, an Alexander Schleicher ASH 26 E glider departed from the Malmsheim glider airfield via a motorized tow. During the flight, the aircraft performed three loops. At approximately 12:55, near Bad Liebenzell-Unterhaugstett, the glider struck the treetops of a spruce tree at an altitude of 30 meters. The aircraft then fell vertically approximately 70 meters further east into a mixed forest area. The impact resulted in the fatal injury of the pilot, who was found deceased in the cockpit.
The investigation
An investigator from the BFU conducted an on-site examination of the accident. The investigation focused on the condition of the aircraft and the circumstances leading to the impact. No technical defects were identified in the Alexander Schlepper ASH 26 E (serial number 26120). While the aircraft was destroyed by collisions with trees, the resulting damage to surrounding vegetation was minimal. No pilot licenses, logbooks, or aircraft registration documents were recovered at the scene.
Findings
An autopsy of the pilot revealed that the primary cause of the accident was a heart attack occurring shortly before the crash. The medical event led to the loss of control of the aircraft.